NEW YORK _ The Baylor Bears are halfway towards reaching the championship game of the National Invitation Tournament.

With Curtis Jerrells pouring in 19 points, the Bears lead San Diego State at the half, 35-34, Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Jerrells is 6-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range.

The only shot Jerrells missed was a long desperation three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer. Jerrells also is 4-of-8 from the free throw line.

Baylor used a 10-0 run to assume a 30-21 lead with 4:44 left before halftime. Three-point field goals by LaceDarius Dunn, and Dunn, and a pair of baskets from Kevin Rogers and Jerrells fueled the rally.

A three-point field goal by D.J. Gay gave the Aztec a brief 34-33 lead before Jerrells closed the first-half scoring with a pair of free throws.

In the first half, Jerrells now has 1,800 carrer points, while Dunn scored nine points and now has 1,003 points during his two-year career at Baylor.

Texas' junior center Dexter Pittman has called a press conference for Wednesday afternoon and will announce that he will stay and play his senior season with the Longhorns rather than opt for the NBA Draft, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.

Pittman on two occasions previously indicated that was his intention.

"I'm real excited about next year, what we’re going to have," he said after the NCAA Tournament second-round loss to Duke. "I'm going to be here."

Players have until April 26 to declare their intentions, though they can later withdraw provided they have not signed with an agent.

Pittman lost his starting job in January, but re-emerged late in the season and became a force as he extended his playing time and efficiency. He averaged 17.3 points and 11 rebounds in three Big 12 tournament games. He hit those marks in a first-round victory over Minnesota, then scored eight points and pulled down eight rebounds when he was limited by foul problems in the 74-69 loss to the Blue Devils.

Junior Damion James is also considering what to do about his future, but has indicated he will wait several weeks before making up his mind.

Texas' junior center Dexter Pittman has called a press conference for Wednesday afternoon and is expected to reiterated that he will stay and play his senior season with the Longhorns, rather than opt for the NBA draft.

Pittman on two different occasions indicated that was his intention.

"I'm real excited about next year, what we’re going to have," he said after the NCAA Tournament second-round loss to Duke. "I'm going to be here."

A source who has spoken to Pittman this week said he had no reason to believe otherwise, though he acknowledge he could change his mind. Players have until April 26 to declare their intentions, though they can later withdraw provided they have not signed with an agent.

Pittman lost his starting job in January, then reemerged late in the season and become a force as he extended his playing time and efficiency. He averaged 17.3 points and 11 rebounds in three Big 12 tournament games. He hit those marks in a first-round victory over Minnesota, then scored eight points and pulled down eight rebounds when he was limited by foul problems in the 74-69 loss to the Blue Devils.

Junior Damion James is also considering what to do about his future, but has indicated he will wait several weeks before making up his mind.--Mike Jones.

A source with knowledge of the situation says Springmann, who's known as an excellent recruiter, is one of about five candidates the school is interested in.

Anthony Grant left VCU last week for the head-coaching job at Alabama.

Springmann is in his eighth season at Texas, and the Maryland native was credited with helping the school land former All-American Kevin Durant, who played his senior high school season at Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Md.

March 28, 2009

WACO _ Like most teams across the country, the Baylor Bears went into this season hopeful of nabbing a berth in the NCAA tournament.

So when that dream was dashed and Baylor wound up in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), there was so immediate celebration by the Bears.

"We didn't get into the one we wanted to get into with the four letters,'' said Baylor assistant coach Matthew Driscoll, referring to the NCAA. "But we did get into the one with three letters (NIT).

"No, it's not the one that's perceived to be the greatest one, and we know that. But it is the national championship and that's important to us.''

Baylor (23-14) meets San Diego State (26-9) at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the semifinals round of the NIT Final Four. The game will be held at New York's Madison Square Garden.

The Bears made a fierce run to qualify for the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. But after opening the Big 12 postseason by beating Nebraska, Kansas and Texas, Baylor lost to Missouri in the conference postseason championship game.

Now, as the nation goes crazy over the more prestigious NCAA tourney, the Bears must put that missed opportunity behind them and concentrate on the task at hand.

"I think it's great to go to New York and be in the Final Four,'' guard LaceDarius Dunn said. "But I think this is not where we wanted to be.

"Coming into the season we were looking at bigger and better things, but we've got to take it as it comes. I think it'll be a great thing for us to to go in Madison Square Garden. Hopefully we can pull out what we want to get out of this, which is to win the whole thing.''

Baylor head coach Scott Drew has to make sure his team goes to New York with the right attitude. He has to remind them to forget about the NCAA and lock in on San Diego State.

"Human nature is after any loss or disappointment you're going to be down,'' Drew said. "But again it's a great opportunity to play in the postseason.''

Drew used a football analogy to describe the difference between the NIT and NCAA.

"The BCS bowls are like the NCAA tournament,'' Drew said. "Teams are getting at-large bids and then the rest of the teams go to the NIT.

"It's like going to a bowl. Those bowls are great bowls. They just might not be BCS bowls.

"The NIT is a great field. It has great exposure now with ESPN.''

Notre Dame faces Penn State in Tuesday's other NIT semifinal. Meanwhile, Baylor enters its game against San Diego State with wins in six of its last seven games. And with the NCAA tournament in its rear view mirror.

"This was the year we thought we'd do it,'' Driscoll said of the Bears' (NCAA) championship aspirations. "But the second thing is we only came here to do one thing, and that's to win a national championship.''

March 26, 2009

Texas tailback Cody Johnson is expected to miss the remainder of spring drills because of a hamstring injury, team trainers announced today. Johnson, one of the primary candidates vying to be the Longhorns’ starting tailback next season, injured the hamstring in Wednesday’s workout.

Johnson, a 255-pounder, led the team in rushing touchdowns last season (12) and began spring drills listed as a co-starter on the Longhorns’ initial depth chart. Others in the tailback mix include Vondrell McGee, Fozzy Whittaker, Jeremy Hills and Tre Newton, a Southlake Carroll HS graduate.

Texas ends spring drills April 5, with its Orange-White game in Austin.

Johnson is the fourth Longhorn this week who has seen his spring session end prematurely. On Tuesday, trainers announced that offensive tackle Kyle Hix, an Aledo HS graduate, would not take part in any more drills because of left shoulder surgery. Also out for the remainder of spring drills are DE Eddie Jones (right shoulder surgery) and TE D.J. Grant (sprained left ankle).